Book: Close to Home

“Close to Home: A Soldier’s Guide to Returning from War is a beautifully written, courageous and inspiring guide to surviving the difficult and often agonizing return home from war. One of the most important books to be published since 9/11. It is a life-saver, compassionate, well-researched and timely. It should be required reading for every American.”
–Ron Kovic, Vietnam Veteran, author of Born on the Fourth of July

“I have read your book and I am blown away! You have really caught the voice and experience of veterans and expressed it in a wonderfully accessible way…You have a real gem here – something that can be of great help in healing all survivors of war…and those who want to help them.”-Kate Dahlstedt, M.A., L.M.H.C., psychotherapist and co-director of Soldier’s Heart, an organization dedicated to the healing and recovery of veterans of war

“This is an important book because it confronts an issue which thousands of soldiers face—how to return to “normal” life after war… and adjust to families who often have become more independent and assertive in their absence. For those who fought, coming home means leaving behind probably the most important and intense experience of a lifetime, and often finding no one who really understands, and many people who don’t really care. Britta Reque-Dragicevic’s well-written book offers thoughtful suggestions to returning soldiers on how to find new meaning in life and to rebuild relationships; and to their friends and loved ones on how to deal with the men and women returning from the battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan.”-Edith M. Lederer, co-author of War Torn: Stories of War from the Women Reporters who Covered Vietnam

“Britta’s book is a very strong and courageous effort to deal with a subject that’s almost impossible for anyone to grasp if they haven’t had war experience in some form, which even then eludes us. It contains a great many thoughtful ideas, including some not generally addressed, about the difficulty of coming to grips with war’s after-effects on the individual and on relationships.” -Richard Pyle, former Associated Press Saigon bureau chief

“Close to Home is a ‘How-to-Guide’ that brings together the experience of “being there” and survival. War has no favorites; we are all affected whether it is the soldier, family or friend. By sharing her experiences, Britta has continued to fuel my belief that ‘together we can make a difference.”-CPT Patricia Curry, U.S. Army, Iraq veteran

In Close to Home, you’ll find your own voice echoed and get a deeper understanding of what life after war is like and what you can do to begin the healing process. Families and healthcare workers will gain a deeper look into the post-war experience and helpful insight into how to cope and help. Each chapter ends with a special section called “Voices”–personal stories by veterans. The book is also meant to be used as an interactive journal with blank “What’s Running Through My Mind Now” sections between chapters to record thoughts or make notes.

Chapters include:

Expectations
What war survivors and their loved ones expect after war vs. the way it really is

Talking About War
Addressing the reality, sharing the emotional/spiritual load, getting graphic, being known

Where the Soul Goes
Understanding “soul”, realizing the loss of identity, moral dilemma, how souls may leave, souls of the dead as reality, making peace with the dead

Sacred Space
Creating healing space for ourselves, within our communities, within faith, room to be, to ask questions, to grow, what families and communities can do

Loss Recognizing the various forms of loss, from faith to sex, in survivors and loved ones, grieving the dead, grieving yourself

Suicidal?

If you are suicidal, I will do my best to help you, but I am NOT a crisis counselor. If you are in immediate danger of killing yourself, please call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Suicide is NOT the right decision. Don’t do it. Reach out. There is hope for you.

Your Life After War

You've come home. You may have PTSD, you may not. Everyone expects you to get on with your life. Pick up the pieces. Forget about it.

It's not that easy, is it?

If you're like most vets, life after war isn't what you'd thought it'd be. You've got a lot of questions, anger, sadness, disappointment, or you may not know what you're feeling. You might even feel just fine.

And yet...the war won't just go away.

How do you move forward?

How can friends and loved ones better understand you?

Where do you even begin?

Let's find out together....

You’re Here for a Reason

If you’ve found this site, there’s a reason. You’re searching, you’re wondering, maybe you just need someone to tell you what you’re going through is normal – and that there’s hope for you.

Maybe you just need someone to listen without worrying that they’ll judge you. All of the work I do with vets is strictly on a volunteer basis – and I am not associated with any government or mental health organizations.

So reach out. It’s time you stopped walking this path alone. Contact me at brittareque@gmail.com, message me here on this site or via Facebook Messenger (scroll down for a link).

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All content on this site, advice, and personal recommendations are not intended to replace medical or mental health treatment or counsel. I am not a licensed therapist. Please consult medical professionals for diagnosis and treatment.

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This site uses cookies. I respect your privacy and do not share confidential information. Comments are held for personal review by me and will not be published if I feel they should remain private. Note that any public comment you make may be made public on this site. To contact me confidentially, email me at brittareque@gmail.com.